Fridays chaos gave way to order on Saturday as clean-up efforts began.

Andrew Song and his family spent Saturday morning cleaning up Kwan's Deli and Korean Kitchen, which was broken into and looted Friday night, its front windows shattered.

Song, whose father immigrated to the U.S. from Korea and started the business next to Centennial Park in 2002, said the destruction was a huge shock, though he is relieved the damage wasnt worse.

Well get this cleaned up and then well see how tomorrow works, he said.

>> RELATED:Violence rocks Atlanta as peaceful protest ends in flames

>> PHOTOS:Atlanta rally against police violence draws hundreds, turns violent

Outside the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame, Fred Turner of Grove Park helped sweep up glass. He wore a sign around his neck stating that two wrongs dont make it right.

Tearing up our city doesnt make sense, said Turner, who added that he agrees with the message behind the original protest.

The sign outside the CNN Center, defaced with graffiti on Friday, had been cleaned by Saturday morning.

Kimberly Beaudin, CEO of the heavily damaged College Football Hall of Fame, was also outside sweeping up broken glass Saturday morning and cleaning up the ransacked gift shop. She said there is a level of disbelief following the destruction and no estimate yet on the cost of the damage.

Rioters burned police cars and smashed their way into stores in downtown Atlanta and Buckhead despite pleas by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and civil rights activists who urged demonstrators to stay home and seek meaningful ways to honor the death of George Floyd.

>> MORE:Hip-hop stars T.I., Killer Mike and others try reason amid the chaos

Stunned city officials, long used to peaceful protests in the cradle of the civil rights movement, were left to reassess their strategy after masses of demonstrators defaced the CNN Center, torched a visitors center in Centennial Olympic Park and stormed through Phipps Plaza, an upscale mall in Buckhead.

This is not a protest, Bottoms said during an emotional news conference late Friday. This is not in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. This is chaos. A protest has purpose. When Dr. King was assassinated, we didnt do this to our city. You are disgracing our city. You are disgracing the life of George Floydand every other person who has been killed in this country.

Nirav Bodiwala's liquor store on Baker Street was a disheveled mess Saturday morning.

"These guys were thugs," he said, as workers swept up the broken glass from his storefront. When he got to the store Saturday he found the interior strewn with blood and debris, his best liquor bottles gone, and his cash register raided. They even hauled off his safe, which had been bolted down.

Worse, Bodiwala said, They tossed lighted cardboard into his store, apparently attempting to set it ablaze.

Peachtree Liquor Store sits at the base of a 23-story building, the floors above filled with hundreds of apartments.

"That would have burned the whole building because of the alcohol I have in there," he said.

They left behind a small white sign. Scribed in red: "Justice for George Floyd."

City officials said police officers trying to maintain the peace were targeted with knives, eggs, firecrackers and other projectiles. Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields, who condemned the actions of Minneapolis officers involved in the call that left Floyd death, had said she would allow protesters to mass so long as they didnt violate laws.

The demonstration started off as a peaceful march from Centennial Olympic Park to the state Capitol, and participants waved signs expressing outrage over Floyd's death and chanted demands of justice and equality.

But it took a dangerous turn as the night wore on and splinter groups gathered outside the park to engage in testy clashes with law enforcement officers, who at times fired tear gas into crowds that turned barricades into weapons.

>> FULL TEXT:Read Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms plea for her city

>> COMPLETE COVERAGE:Atlanta protests

At some damaged spots, Fridays rioters were replaced with Saturdays Good Samaritans.

Samuel Harden and his wife usually celebrate Valentines Day at McCormick & Schmicks, a restaurant in CNN Center ransacked Friday night. On Saturday morning, the Hardens were there to help clean up.

We hate that the frustration tuned into damage of property," said Harden, who grew up in the city and now lives in Douglas County. "I understand the anger, but youve got to go peacefully.

Recent Georgia State University Devin Mitchell also pitched in.

He said he understands the community is grieving due to racial injustice, but the protest escalated into something it wasnt.

"As far as tearing our own community up, I dont think thats the right thing, I dont think thats what anybody from the past wouldve wanted us to do, said Mitchell, who played basketball at GSU. It was just really tough to watch everybody going crazy I had to come do my part.

The last time a major protest rocked Atlanta, when Black Lives Matters protesters massed outside the Governors Mansion in 2016, it was defused by Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed when hepromised a sit-down with demonstrators.

But the outrage over Floyd's death presents a different challenge, as demonstrations spread widely across the nation to protest police brutality.

Bottoms turned to aging civil rights activists and young hip-hop stars to plead for calm and end to the looting, staging a press conference just blocks away from where the largest group of demonstrators had gathered.

It is your duty not to burn your own house down for anger with an enemy, said a tearful Killer Mike, also known as Michael Render. It is your duty to fortify your own house so that you may be a house of refuge in times of organization.

The violence that shuddered through this city threatened restaurants, retail stores and businesses already reeling from a coronavirus pandemic. Amir McRae, who owns the ATL Cruzers downtown Segway tour business, was awoken early Saturday by an ADT alarm call.

Hed hoped his black owned signs would spare his building, but his windows were smashed in nonetheless.

Im just feeling hurt, he said. Here we are with utter destruction of property.

As he spoke, he shooed away looters picking over a Circle K that was overrun.

We worked way too hard for this, he said, as they slinked away. Do whats right. Keep it moving!

Sakeema Freeman, a 26-year-old student in a construction management masters program, was cleaning graffiti from a placard outside Centennial Olympic Park that read: Black Lives Matter.

She said she took part in the peaceful part of the protest early Friday before peeling off when it grew more raucous. She followed the events from her downtown apartment on social media and out her window, and helped to watch younger demonstrators who wanted to steer clear of the violence.

I tried to do my part, said Freeman, who saw the damage in the morning and got out a rag and soap and went to work with her father, Veree.

She wasnt mad Saturday just matter of fact.

Youve got to clean up your familys mess.

Across the street, Katie Labgold and Yvanna Pantner were busily wiping away graffiti as well. Labgold, a doctoral student in epidemiology, said it seemed like an immediate action to start the healing process and, long-term, to help to end racist actions and fight white silence.

Pantner, who is about to start a social work program, described it in a similar vein.

Our goal is to recognize that being anti-racist starts with the individual. My job is to look within myself and say, What can I do to be anti-racist today? And to listen to people of color in my community and ask what my role is in all of this. This is really a systemic issue. It has to be viewed that way.

The scene was far different Friday night.

Just as police officers seemed to contain the violence in downtown Atlanta, large crowds moved north to the affluent Buckhead area. Big-box stores were ransacked and video showed trespassers trying to empty luxury retailers at Phipps Plaza. Atlanta Fire Rescue responded to reports of blazes at the historic Tabernacle downtown andDel Frisco's Grille in Buckhead.

Firefighters were unable to respond immediately to Del Friscos because of the large protester presence. Once they were able to extinguish the flames, crews returned to trucks that had been set upon by vandals.

The beleaguered local authorities and Georgia State Patrol officers were reinforced shortly after midnight by Kemps order, whichactivated as many as 500 Georgia National Guard troops.

A contingent of 100 soldiers was immediately deployed to the Lenox Square Mall area, and authorized to make arrests.

Early Saturday morning, Atlanta police reported gunshots outside Phipps Plaza and downtown Atlanta, and widespread looting at stores across the city. Rioters smashed windows of firetrucks and ruined police cars; a WSB-TV news truck was also targeted.

As police strained to control the damage, civic leaders stepped up their pleas for calm. T.I. urged protesters to stay home this city doesnt deserve this and bright-red digital billboards lit up with a message: If you love Atlanta, PLEASE GO HOME!

We have to be better than this moment. We have to be better than burning down our own homes, said Killer Mike. Because if we lose Atlanta what else do we have?

Staff Writers Alexis Stevens, Raisa Habersham, Christian Boone and Ernie Suggs contributed to this report.

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Clean-up begins after night of violence in Atlanta - Atlanta Journal Constitution

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Some restaurants in downtown Cincinnati and Over-the-Rhine have announced that they are closing for the weekend due to the current situation downtown.

Protestors responding to the death of George Floyd marched through downtown and Over-the-Rhine Friday night and early Saturday morning. After several hours of peaceful protests, some people turned to violence and vandalism, and several businesses sustained visible damage, including broken windows.

Protests on Saturday afternoon have been peaceful.

Downtown restaurants Butcher and Barreland the View at Shires Gardenand Ch in Over-the-Rhine, which are all operated by IgniteEntertainment, posted messages on Facebook about closing temporarily on Saturday morning.

To our friends and guests, we are so sorry, but due to the current situation downtown, we have decided to close our business today, effective immediately, the messages read. When we plan to reopen, we will post on social media and our website. We will be notifying all guests with reservations through Open Table momentarily. Please stay safe and love one another, and thank you for your support.

Several businessesand restaurants, such as Washington Platform and Fiery Hen, have boarded up windows on Saturday, either to cover damage or as protection.

Washington Platform at Court and Elm streets, downtown Cincinnati, is boarded up on Saturday, May 30, 2020, after protests the night before.(Photo: Sam Greene/The Enquirer)

The Mercer OTR and Nation in Pendleton also announced on Saturday they are closing for the weekend.

Nation posted a photo on Facebook showing a covered door. We will be closed today and are talking this afternoon to discuss the rest of the weekend, the post said. Doors can be replaced. Time for us to come together as a community and support each other.

Arnold's Bar and Grill will also be closing for the weekend. "It is with careful thought and consideration that Arnolds has decided to not be open for the rest of the weekend. We hope to see you next week. We love you Cincinnati. Please stay safe," a Facebook post said.

Aladdin's Eatery and Lounge has closed its Over-the-Rhine location for the weekend. "For the safety of our staff and guests we have decided to shut down this location during this difficult time. Please check back on our Facebook page for an update on our re-opening.#justiceforgeorgefloyd," a Facebook post said.

Gomez Salsa has also closed its Over-the-Rhine location but the Walnut Hills location remains open.

Other restaurants, including Bru Burger, Quan Hapa,Court Street Lobster Bar and Sundry and Vice, announced theyare open but will be closing early tonight because of the 10 p.m. curfew Saturday and Sunday imposed by Mayor John Cranley.

We are saddened over last nights rioting. We are heartbroken over what led to it. We love you guys and this beautiful city, posted Sundry and Vice in Over-the-Rhine.

We will be open from 2-8pm in accordance with tonights 10pm curfew. An earlier close allows our staff and guests time to get home before the curfew is in place.

The Enquirer will update this story.

Read or Share this story: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2020/05/30/some-restaurants-downtown-otr-closing-after-last-nights-protests/5290896002/

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Some restaurants in downtown, OTR closing for the weekend after last nights protests - The Cincinnati Enquirer

Leeds United's promotion charge will hopefully get the go ahead to continue shortly with the club standing just nine games away from a place back in the Premier League.

Director of football Victor Orta will already be no doubt hard at work and scouting potential options for the next chapter in the clubs future.

Marcelo Bielsa is currently blessed with a settled squad and dependable players in almost every position, but there will undoubtedly be a question mark over who starts between the sticks going forward.

It was hoped that Kiko Casilla could be the one to fill that spot, but his future must now be under question after being served an eight-match ban for an FA charge of racist abuse, with a number of erratic moments before that.

While Illan Meslier has impressed so far, catching the eye in his debut against Arsenal and keeping back-to-back clean sheets in his first two league appearances, it would be a bold move to look to depend upon a relative novice at just 20 years of age.

If Casilla were to leave, adding competition - ideally with experience - would be imperative.

Here are three players that Leeds could look to sign this summer.

A controversial choice, perhaps, after his spat with Patrick Bamford and antics during Norwichs 3-1 win over Leeds last season, but hes got plenty of experience and would fit the mould.

Daniel Farkes Canaries dont play in quite the same style as Bielsas Leeds, but there is an emphasis on passing from the back. The 31-year-old Netherlands international has completed more passes than any other Premier League goalkeeper this season.

Krul is contracted at Carrow Road until 2022, while a likely relegation - Norwich currently sit bottom of the Premier League table, six points adrift of safety - could potentially make a move a goer.

The wildcard option. English audiences havent been too impressed with the Manchester City goalkeeper for his less-than-stellar shot-stopping record. But he fits the mould in terms of passing style and knows Bielsa well from his time as Chile coach.

Not only has he proved a penalty shootout hero for his country twice in back-to-back Copa America wins over Argentina, but hes enjoyed a brilliant career at club level and continues to lift silverware as Edersons back-up and cup goalkeeper at City.

At the age of 36, Bravo is by no means a long-term option, but could be a useful presence to aid Meslier's development, and is used to sitting on the bench if the plan is to keep trusting the young Frenchman. Hes also out of contract this summer and could potentially join on a free.

In each Leeds United bulletin from Leeds Live, we'll be bringing you the latest breaking news, transfer features and comment pieces, as well as the key talking points for fans.

We'll also send special newsletters when big stories break or there's a special event happening.

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After impressing out on loan, Ramsdale has been given a chance this season by his parent club Bournemouth this season and looks to have provided the answer to their goalkeeping woes of recent years.

Hes enjoyed a stellar breakthrough campaign, in spite of the Cherries battle against relegation. There will certainly be lots of competition for his signature in the event they do go down, and be a statement of intent.

Ramsdale only averages a 53.9% pass completion rate, meaning he doesnt quite fit the template of what Bielsa would be looking for - thats 30% down on Casillas rate this season, for example. But at the age of 21, hes still young enough to learn new skills and develop his game.

See the rest here:
Three goalkeeper options Leeds United could consider when the transfer window opens - Leeds Live

In March, states undertook dramatic and unprecedented measures to stem the spread of the SARS2-COV virus. And yet COVID-19 has claimed 100,000 lives in the U.S. Was the lockdown effective? Economists frequently address such questions in our research.

Seeing the unseen, or the path that we did not choose, is the key here. It is the fundamental challenge of economics, as illustrated by Frederic Bastiats parable of the broken window. A shopkeeper must replace a broken window. A neighbor, perhaps offering solace, points out that if windows never got broken, the town glazier would starve. To avoid believing that broken windows boost the economy, we must recognize what the shopkeeper did not buy due to replacing the window.

Economists visualize the alternative paths we could choose. What would have happened if we didnt pass NAFTA, or hadnt bailed out banks during the financial crisis, or if we raised the minimum wage to $15 per hour? The term counterfactual refers to the unchosen path.

Economists devise principles for constructing counterfactuals. Scenarios must be logically coherent and consistent with the available evidence. We must avoid overly optimistic or pessimistic alternatives.

I have never estimated potential deaths in an outbreak of a disease but have researched tornado warnings and worst case tornadoes. Like most economists, I recognize the challenges in evaluating the lockdown.

Heres a first challenge. WalletHub has scored the strictness of states COVID protection measures. The average COVID fatality rate for the ten states with the strictest lockdown policies is 686 per million residents, versus a fatality rate of 68 for the ten least strict states, or one tenth as much. The three highest fatality rate states are among the ten strictest states.

Does this show that lockdowns cause COVID-19 deaths? No. The states suffering the worst outbreaks will impose the strictest measures. This is the endogeneity of policy problem. Ignoring this issue would lead us to conclude that hospitals cause death because many people die there. Controlling for policy endogeneity is a major research focus.

Another problem arises because states imposed policies and Americans realized that COVID-19 was a serious health threat at about the same time. The NBA suspended its season March 11, people sharply reduced travel around March 15, and the first state stay-at-home order took effect March 19. We have very few data points to tease out the effect of various policies from behavioral changes.

The United States was slow in rolling out testing for COVID-19, creating another challenge. If we compared the number of COVID-19 cases in the month before and after lockdowns to test effectiveness, the total would rise simply because many more people were tested. Can we detect a decline in infections during a period of expanding testing?

Even if Marchs lockdown was effective, the policies may not be effective in another time or place. Policy effects may not transfer for several reasons. For the COVID lockdown, an important factor is peoples willingness to comply. If Americans do not favor shutting down the economy for a second wave of the virus, stay-at-home orders may prove ineffective when reimplemented.

Researchers at Columbia University have evaluated the lockdown, based on computer simulations with travel data between cities and reported cases and deaths. The policies appear to have stemmed the illness; indeed implementation of the same policies two weeks earlier could have avoided 83 percent of U.S. deaths through May 3.

The sophisticated technical analysis here, I think, obscures a bigger point. Nonpharmaceutical interventions, as epidemiologists call such policies, do not prevent COVID-19 deaths. Americans who did not get COVID this spring can still get sick next fall. Only a vaccine or effective treatment will truly prevent deaths.

Whether school closings and stay-at-home orders slow an outbreak is an important and really challenging research question. This question must be answered before we compare economic costs and health benefits. Ultimately a lockdown is merely a delaying action. Delaying actions are only worth fighting as part of a larger strategy.

Daniel Sutter is the Charles G. Koch Professor of Economics with the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy at Troy University and host of Econversations on TrojanVision. The opinions expressed in this column are the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Troy University.

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Dan Sutter: Did the lockdown save lives? - Alabama Today

The Beacon Hill Architectural Commission approved an application as submitted for the renovation of the Boston Athenaeums south balcony during a virtual hearing on Thursday, May 21.

The applicant, Matthew Bronski, a principal with the Waltham engineering firm Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, said the scope of the project includes removing existing waterproofing and slate paving from the balconies at the second- and fifth-floor levels at 10 Beacon St. facing the Old Granary Burying Ground and replacing them with new waterproofing and non-slip bluestone paving. The proposed work also includes the replacement of non-original existing railings on the second- and fifth floors with equivalent railings that would be up to code, as well as the installation of a new copper gutter on the fifth floor.

The commission approved an extensive renovation of the Athenaeums north faade and terrace at its previous monthly hearing, which was held virtually on April 16.

In a matter continued from September of 2018, the commission approved the applicants to plan to construct an interior staircase at a two-story carriage house owned by the Park Street School at 55-57 Brimmer St., as well as planned changes to the design of the faux carriage house doors on the adjoining one-story garage while denying the proposed window reconfiguration and additions on the garage building to preserve the integrity of the historic building.

The Park Street School intends to convert the garage into a science lab and classroom while the former single-family residence upstairs would be repurposed as a meeting room and administrative offices.

On an application for a building owned by the Park Street Church at 3 Park St to replace insulated glass in kind; to replace an existing intercom system; and to replace an existing copper chimney-cap with a vented copper chimney-cap to restore the chimney to its original use, the commission gave its approval, with the provisos that the chimney cap be made of copper and not painted black, and that the modern intercom system be housed inside a brass box in keeping with the character of the neighborhoods Historic District.

The commission also approved an application for 19 Myrtle St. to remove existing panel antennas at the roof level and replace them with new ones of similar size while painting them to match the existing structure, with the proviso that the antennas be housed inside a fiberglass screen enclosure painted the same color as the existing structure, and that the applicant submit drawings of the enclosure to staff for approval.

In another matter, the commission approved an application for 34 West Cedar St. to repair and repaint trim in kind, and to repair and replace slate in kind at the dormer level, with the proviso that the applicant provide a sample of new slate to staff for approval, and that the entire dormer be clad in slate for consistency with the district standards.

In considering an application for the installation of a new gas line at the front faade garden level at 41 Beacon St., the commission approved it, with the proviso that the connection is made beneath the building to avoid penetrating any granite walls, and that the applicant submit drawings showing a trellis wood screen painted grey to staff for approval. The applicant will also need to provide a letter from the city indicating that the location of the gas meter is the only possible option, and that it can t be installed inside the building.

The commission also approved an application to install new street numbers on the Archer Residences at 45 Temple St., with the proviso that the numbers not exceed 12.5 inches in size and match the material and color of the adjacent window mullions.

Meanwhile, the commission approved an application to install an alarm bell in the entryway of the front door at 54 Pinckney St., with the proviso that it be painted black or dark grey if permitted by the Boston Fire Department.

More:
BHAC Approves Application for Renovation of the Athenaeums South Balcony - Beacon Hill Times

Looking to save some cash and still stay entertained? Swap out all of the services you pay for -- that includes Netflix, Hulu, Apple Music, DoorDash and Grubhub -- for free alternatives. The free choices may not get you the exact same thing, but can often get you pretty close, especially if you're one of the millions of people whose employment has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, and you're looking to cut costs where you can.

A lot of these free services operate with ads, unlike their paid counterparts. And the streaming services won't let you download stuff to watch or listen to offline. But some have deals to go ad-free for free during the pandemic, which you can take advantage of now.

Here's how to replace all of the services you pay for with free ones.

Replaces: Netflix

Sony's Crackle is an ad-supported streaming service that offers movies and some TV shows, including original content. You can find a variety of flicks old and new including Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Adaptation, The Big Chill, Dr. Strangelove, Glory, It Happened One Night, La Bamba, The Natural, The Social Network and Star Trek: First Contact. In terms of TV, you'll find more than 100 different shows, including a lot of sitcoms such as All in the Family, Roseanne and Who's the Boss. But not every series has all seasons available.

You can stream on Crackle without signing up for an account, and can watch on virtually any device, with apps for all mobile platforms, game consoles and major streaming devices. If you do create an account, you can save favorites, get recommendations and resume playback if you switch between devices.

Read more: The best free stuff while you're stuck at home

Replaces: Hulu Plus Live TV(or your whole cable subscription)

Two big caveats here: Pluto TV is, like CNET, a division of ViacomCBS, and you'll find plenty of CNET, CBS and Viacom content on the docket here. And much of the programming on Pluto isn't the same live TV channels you'll find on pay cable or satellite, even if the channels have the same names. So, while news junkies will find live programming from CBSN, NBC News Now and Bloomberg TV, Pluto's versions of MTV, AMC and CNN are time-shifted or alternate programming from those providers.

Ultimately, none of that matters, because you're still getting a wealth of streaming video that's truly free (it's ad-supported, of course). And because there are literally dozens of in-progress streams to toggle through in real-time, Pluto offers the best analog to flipping through the myriad channels on a traditional cable system (or paid streaming alternative, like Hulu). You can also browse channels by categories like news, sports, comedy and movies, and find on-demand TV content, though it's mostly crime and reality shows.

Pluto works on desktop browsers, through a Windows client, or through apps for Android, iOS and different smart TVs and channels for Apple TV, Fire TV and Roku.

Read more:Best free TV streaming services: Roku, Sling TV, IMDb, Pluto TV, Tubi TV, Plex and more

Replaces: Apple Music

Spotify tops CNET's list of the best music streaming services thanks to its easy-to-use interface, extensive catalogue and device compatibility. Plus, you can always listen to its full music catalogue for free, with ads. And now there's even better news: In the wake of the pandemic, Spotify is letting you sign up to get three months of Spotify Premium totally free. This would normally cost you at least $9.99 per month.

You can get the free offer if you have Spotify Free or it's your first time subscribing to Spotify Premium. If you've subscribed to Premium in the past and cancelled, you can get three months for a flat $9.99.

Read more:Netflix alternatives: The 10 best free movie streaming services

Read more:Best food delivery service: DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats and more compared

Replaces: Your gym, or Peloton

Nike Training Club is a free app for iOS and Android with a variety of home workouts and programs to help you set a workout schedule. You can filter workouts based on what equipment you have at home, and find bodyweight-only exercises, yoga and training programs.

Replaces: Online classes

MasterClass offers thousands of online lessons taught by veritable masters in their fields -- we're talking Gordon Ramsey on cooking, Ken Burns on documentary making and Helen Mirren on acting. While an annual membership costs $180, you can find a series of free courses called MasterClass Live available now. These include a session on building suspenseful thrillers with Dan Brown, the importance of science with Neil deGrasse Tyson and poker tips from six-time World Series of Poker champion Daniel Negreanu.

Read more:Gym closed? Here are some of the best home workout options

Replaces: Magazine subscriptions, cooking classes

If you're spending your quarantine experimenting with cooking projects such as sourdough, banana bread or dalgona coffee, grow your cooking chops even more with the Food Network Kitchen app and subscription service. It brings live and on-demand cooking lessons from celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis and Ree Drummond to iOS and Android devices, the Amazon Echo Show 8, Fire tablets, Fire TV and Alexa. The app's goal is to become your personal kitchen companion, helping you step by step while you cook.

While the service usually costs $4.99 per month or $40 per year, Food Network is offering a 60-day free trial right now.

Now playing: Watch this: Do this first if you've been laid off or furloughed

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Money-saving tip: Replace Netflix, Apple Music and more with these free alternatives - CNET

In March, states undertook dramatic and unprecedented measures to stem the spread of the SARS2-COV virus. And yet COVID-19 has claimed 100,000 lives in the U.S. Was the lockdown effective? Economists frequently address such questions in our research.

Seeing the unseen, or the path that we did not choose, is the key here. It is the fundamental challenge of economics, as illustrated by Frederic Bastiats parable of the broken window. A shopkeeper must replace a broken window. A neighbor, perhaps offering solace, points out that if windows never got broken, the town glazier would starve. To avoid believing that broken windows boost the economy, we must recognize what the shopkeeper did not buy due to replacing the window.

Economists visualize the alternative paths we could choose. What would have happened if we didnt pass NAFTA, or hadnt bailed out banks during the financial crisis, or if we raised the minimum wage to $15 per hour? The term counterfactual refers to the unchosen path.

Economists devise principles for constructing counterfactuals. Scenarios must be logically coherent and consistent with the available evidence. We must avoid overly optimistic or pessimistic alternatives.

I have never estimated potential deaths in an outbreak of a disease but have researched tornado warnings and worst case tornadoes. Like most economists, I recognize the challenges in evaluating the lockdown.

Heres a first challenge. WalletHub has scored the strictness of states COVID protection measures. The average COVID fatality rate for the ten states with the strictest lockdown policies is 686 per million residents, versus a fatality rate of 68 for the ten least strict states, or one tenth as much. The three highest fatality rate states are among the ten strictest states.

Does this show that lockdowns cause COVID-19 deaths? No. The states suffering the worst outbreaks will impose the strictest measures. This is the endogeneity of policy problem. Ignoring this issue would lead us to conclude that hospitals cause death because many people die there. Controlling for policy endogeneity is a major research focus.

Another problem arises because states imposed policies and Americans realized that COVID-19 was a serious health threat at about the same time. The NBA suspended its season March 11, people sharply reduced travel around March 15, and the first state stay-at-home order took effect March 19. We have very few data points to tease out the effect of various policies from behavioral changes.

The United States was slow in rolling out testing for COVID-19, creating another challenge. If we compared the number of COVID-19 cases in the month before and after lockdowns to test effectiveness, the total would rise simply because many more people were tested. Can we detect a decline in infections during a period of expanding testing?

Even if Marchs lockdown was effective, the policies may not be effective in another time or place. Policy effects may not transfer for several reasons. For the COVID lockdown, an important factor is peoples willingness to comply. If Americans do not favor shutting down the economy for a second wave of the virus, stay-at-home orders may prove ineffective when reimplemented.

Researchers at Columbia University have evaluated the lockdown, based on computer simulations with travel data between cities and reported cases and deaths. The policies appear to have stemmed the illness; indeed implementation of the same policies two weeks earlier could have avoided 83 percent of U.S. deaths through May 3.

The sophisticated technical analysis here, I think, obscures a bigger point. Nonpharmaceutical interventions, as epidemiologists call such policies, do not prevent COVID-19 deaths. Americans who did not get COVID this spring can still get sick next fall. Only a vaccine or effective treatment will truly prevent deaths.

Whether school closings and stay-at-home orders slow an outbreak is an important and really challenging research question. This question must be answered before we compare economic costs and health benefits. Ultimately a lockdown is merely a delaying action. Delaying actions are only worth fighting as part of a larger strategy.

Daniel Sutter is the Charles G. Koch Professor of Economics with the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy at Troy University and host of Econversations on TrojanVision. The opinions expressed in this column are the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Troy University.

Continued here:
Did the lockdown save lives? - The Troy Messenger - Troy Messenger

Posted on May 24, 2020 at 1:20 pm by West Sider

A 21-year-old Upper West Side artist named Benjamin M. has been home during the quarantine and he decided to draw the view outside his bedroom window.

His view is dominated by the Schwab House, which is on the block bordered by 74th Street to the north, 73rd Street to the south, Riverside Drive to the west, and West End Avenue to the east. Maltz also drew the same view as if he was sitting in the same room in 1940, when the Schwab House was actually Charles Schwabs mansion and was known as Riverside. The comparison is striking. He explained more about his interest in drawing and history:

Hey all! My name is Benjamin, and I was born and raised on the Upper West Side. Ive always liked to draw throughout my 21 years, although recently during quarantine Ive been combining my artisticinclinations with my love for New York City history. Some time ago I learned that the Schwab House on 73rd-74th Streets between Riverside Drive and West End Avenue (across the street from my apartment) replaced the original Schwab House, a 75-room mansion built for businessman Charles Schwab at the turn of the twentieth century. With that in mind, here are two drawings I made of the view from my bedroom: The first features the current Schwab House (built 1948-50) and the second features the preceding structure (built 1902-06, demolished 1948) drawn amidst present surroundings (themselves relatively unchanged since the 1930s). Oh, to be able to see the river!

See the drawings below:

Read more from the original source:
A Young Quarantined Artist Draws the View Outside His Window, Then Imagines the Same View in 1940 - westsiderag.com

Have you ever struggled with this dilemma should you keep the kitchen window open when you cook so the ventilation keeps your place smelling alright or should you keep the window closed so that pollution is now the spice accidentally added to your dish? This suspended kitchen lamp is an air purifier that keeps the space ventilated and particles controlled without needing to open your window!

We all have wanted to open the windows at some point when cooking not because of the smell but because of the particles that will be circulated everywhere otherwise. The Keling is a conceptual air purifier combined with a kitchen lamp. The bottom is designed to absorb the fine dust generated while cooking while the top emits purified air. The height is adjustable and replacing the filter is more convenient than cleaning the bulky exhausts. You can also sync it with your smartphone to get control lighting, fine dust, cooking, filter, and wind direction through the mobile app.

This sleek device keeps the outside polluted air away from your food while making sure you arent breathing in any pepper dust!

Designer: Kikang Kim

See the rest here:
No more opening kitchen windows with this suspended light that doubles as an air purifier - Yanko Design

As temperatures climb to summer-like heat, PG&E offers these tips to help customers stay safe and comfortable while saving energy at home.

Air conditioning accounts for more than 40 percent of summer residential energy usage so set your thermostat at 78 degrees in the summer, health permitting.

Cool down with a fan: Fans keep air circulating, allowing you to raise the thermostat a few degrees and stay just as comfortable while reducing your air conditioning costs.

Replace filters as needed: Dirty air filters make your air conditioner work harder to circulate air. By cleaning or replacing your filters monthly, you can improve energy efficiency and reduce costs.

Close shades in the summer: Sunlight passing through windows heats your home and makes your air conditioner work harder. Block the heat by keeping blinds closed on sunny days.

If nighttime or early morning temperatures are cool, turn off air conditioners and open windows to let in cool air and use a whole-house fan to draft hot air out of attics.

Turn off lights and TVs when not in use.

Plug all personal electronics into a power strip and simply turn off the power strip when electronics arent in use.

Run washers, dryers and dishwashers on full loads instead of partial loads. Hang dry clothes.

When not in use, unplug small appliances and electronics, like coffee makers and printers. Completely turn off TVs and game consoles.

Turn down the brightness of your TV. Factory settings are typically brighter than needed.Use smaller screens, like tablets, to stream media.

Read this article:
Utility offers tips on staying cool during the heatwave - Red Bluff Daily News